..and the destruction of everything

[Update: 23 Feb 2011: Brian: This is a post from 2009. I talk about smartphones, the smartphone wars -- and "ecosystems." Perhaps Mr Elop is a long-time reader.]

Welcome, America. I will be your guide through Smartphone Wars...and the destruction of wealth, power, jobs, learning, opportunity, interaction, play and everything everywhere forever. Adapt quickly. You have 6 years.

Question: Was it a meteor that killed off all the dinosaurs? Or a bunch of tiny, voracious shrews eating up all their eggs? Both. Forces large and devastating, small, fast and hard to visualize are re-constructing our world. That's the way it is today, at the beginning of the Smartphone Wars; precipitating a great leveling of wealth, power, access and opportunity.

Smartphones, social media, mobility, free apps, infinitely scalable networks and hyperlocal services writ global are spurring the destruction of everything. Everything. From above, below, within and without. And it doesn't matter if you believe this or not.  The process has already begun; the war is underway.

Nor can we reverse the trajectory of the future that awaits us. Our world is changing. In a few years we will even lose the reference points that could be used to explain our past -- our today -- to the future.  I want to help; help all of us to embrace and thrive in the new world thrust upon us. That is my mission, my passion, my work. We cannot go back, but we can, some of us at least, thrive in this coming new world.

Leverage the abundance this new world offers. What I term the Smart Social Mobile Web — the convergence of virtually free, infinitely scalable, globally accessible devices, databases, platforms and technologies — enables any-time, any-where collaboration between any individual, group or machine. The smart social mobile web has already begun to transform business, commerce, competition, philanthropy, learning, play, culture, wealth and power. As it (rapidly) gains force, the smart social mobile web transforms everything. Nothing will be like ever before. No industry, no market, no company, no product -- no job -- will be safe. None.

The building blocks of this smart social mobile web include:

• Web
• Smartphone
• Social Media
• Location-based services
• Meta Search
• Real-time rich communications
• Instant machine-based decision-making

How does your business respond? Your industry? Your community? Our leaders? First and foremost, awareness, connectivity, transparency and relationships are hyper-critical. Next, embrace, extend and proclaim your values. Anyone can go anywhere to get anything. In such a world your values will be a core driver of your success, and a critical differentiator. Similarly, embrace real-time. Real-time conversations, real-time connectivity, search, response, recommendations and sales. Embrace even when you get it wrong, or incomplete. 

Next, determine how you can completely upend your industry, or any industry. If possible, determine how an existing product or service that people gladly pay for can be given away. Yes, for free. Even if they want to pay. This is not a race to the bottom. Rather, a chance to spread your seed, for free is the new black. Someone, somewhere, very soon, will be able to give your product away. And thrive. Embed yourself in that ecosystem before them.

Every product, business, philanthropy, industry, community and social order is undergoing forced permanent transformation. Every individual holds the same power. Every business can compete with any other. Every nation has equal access. Anyone, anywhere, in any industry can become a competitor. Or an equal. This is a global revolution. You survive, thrive, by either being dominant within your uber-niche, or easily, rapidly, seamlessly spread throughout the land, like weeds, part of an abundant ecosystem.

Next, take heed of these separate meta-trends that are quickly gaining traction throughout the world. Each is distinct, yet in the aggregate, are remaking, re-constructing and leveling every market, every industry, every business, every nation; all that we have been deeply accustomed with. 

• Free is the new black! Your service or product can be delivered for free. Don't believe me and someone else will make it happen.
• Real-time is the only time. The world demands realtime and continuous feedback.
• Hyperlocal is hyperglobal. In a globally connected world, where you are at the time is more important than ever: Think locally. Scale globally.
• Information wants to be monetized: Data + access + analysis + aggregation + socialization = wealth.
• Values = Profits. Anyone can get anything anytime from anywhere. Counter-intuitively, this makes values-based businesses more important than ever.
• The virtual is the real. As we move the virtual into our reality – rather than the long-presumed opposite – opportunities for prosperity and permanent disconnect with others take root.
• Look beyond. Think young brown woman child. The largest market ever could in fact be the biggest market ever.
• The spice must flow! Government is the biggest growth industry. The West cannot function without still more of it.

Each of these wrenchingly destructive trends are reshaping our world, our influence, our power structures. Their only commonality is that each can be resident within your smartphone -- anyone's smartphone. Seize them. The time for creation will come.  For now, during the Smartphone Wars, embrace the destruction of everything.

God bless!

Brian S Hall